PHOENIX — You could hear the sounds of “MVP!” chants for Clayton Kershaw, even here at Chase Field. Kershaw was back to his usual self in Arizona, as he threw an eight-inning gem in which he struck out 10 and allowed an unearned run in a 3-1 Dodgers win. His campaign for MVP is gaining steam with each outing.

The previous time Kershaw pitched here in May was the lone debacle in his otherwise unblemished season in which he could win the Cy Young Award and MVP.

Kershaw started slow, and by slow, that means he allowed baserunners. He walked Ender Inciarte to start the game, and he faced a bases-loaded situation — unbelievably, for the first time all season — in the fourth inning. He loaded the bases with one out, and got out of the jam.

Kershaw improved to 16-3 and lowered his ERA to 1.73.

“I had a bad start, really,” Kershaw said. “I felt guys were on base the whole night and I was working in and out of jams, which is never fun to do.”

It was no pool party, but Kershaw’s heavier-than-usual workload still equaled success.

When Kershaw pitched here in May, he allowed seven earned runs in the Dodgers’ 18-7 loss and was chased after 1 2/3 innings.

“It’s just a completely different team, I don’t know how many people from that game are in the lineup,” Kershaw said. “It’s not an easy place to pitch here ... Obviously, it’s a little different gameplan (Wednesday), and it worked out OK.”

Sure did.

The first four batters from that May 17 game were out of the lineup. No A.J. Pollock, Chris Owings, Cody Ross or Paul Goldschmidt.

Kershaw didn’t have a bad outing after that, which has been 3½ months.

The Dodgers maintained their five-game lead in the National League West and have won six consecutive road games against division opponents.

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Kenley Jansen retired the side in the ninth inning and earned his 100th career save. He kept the ball and will treasure that milestone.

“You play this game once,” Jansen said. “One day when you’re done playing, you’ll want to remember it. I’ll definitely keep that and do something with it.”

He’s done plenty as the Dodgers’ closer. Kershaw for eight innings and Jansen for one has worked well.

“That’s a good formula,” Kershaw said.

Kershaw allowed just six hits in eight innings and walked two. When he allowed baserunners, he worked out of those jams.

In the seventh inning, he struck out the side and needed just 10 pitches to do it. For his final out of the eighth, he struck out Alfredo Marte with a curveball.

Kershaw smiled when asked about the bases-loaded situation afterward. After loading the bases, Kershaw got Aaron Hill to pop up to second base and Mark Trumbo to fly out to left field.

“That’s what A.J. said,” Kershaw said of his first time loading the bases all season. “I guess I blew that streak. It’s a good spot to be in.”

Kershaw also had a 41-consecutive scoreless innings streak this season, too.

The Dodgers used a three-run third inning to build a 3-0 lead that was more than enough comfort against the hapless Diamondbacks. Dee Gordon led the inning with a bunt single, which extended his hit streak to seven games.

Yaisel Puig drew a walk — which he did in his first at-bat in the first inning as well – and Matt Kemp doubled to right field to score Gordon and Puig. Kemp tried to turn the double into a triple and was thrown out at third base. Scott Van Slyke then homered to left field to extend the lead.

The Dodgers didn’t come out of Arizona unscathed. Van Slyke left the game in the fourth inning with what the Dodgers said was a mild right ankle sprain. X-rays were negative, and he is listed as day-to-day.